A common question that landlords ask me is "what possible defenses can my tenants raise to the eviction? Shouldn't the fact that they owe rent be enough to evict?" 

Unfortunately, it is not that simple.  A tenant can assert a variety of defenses to an eviction action.  These defenses can be raised in the tenant's written answer or verbally at a show cause hearing. The following are potential issues that a landlord should prepare for

A. Procedural Defenses

Procedural requirements for unlawful det...